4-H Friday Newsletter

Friday, July 31, 2026

If you need to stop by the Extension office, please contact us at 920-906-4623 to confirm it is open, as staffing availability may affect office hours.

During County Fair Week, we hosted another exciting 4-H Goosechase Experience! Goosechase is a free, app-based scavenger hunt that allows participants to complete fun missions as a team. Missions can include taking photos, answering questions, or checking in at locations using GPS tags. Teams earn points throughout the week for a chance to win prizes while creating lasting memories along the way.

4-H members joined their clubs and participated throughout the fair, snapping photos and completing challenges to earn points. From pictures of livestock and exhibit projects to carnival rides and favorite fair foods, youth captured the many experiences that make fair week special.

This year, we are excited to introduce a new tradition: the Golden Goose Award. This award recognizes the club team that earns the most points during the County Fair Goosechase competition.

Congratulations to our top-performing clubs:

1st Place (Golden Goose Award): Taft 23 – 146,000 points

2nd Place: Rosendale – 143,650 points

3rd Place: Ledgers – 129,800 points

4th Place: Calumet – 80,700 points

5th Place: Hands of Friendship – 61,400 points

Great job to all the clubs that participated and helped make this year's Goosechase a success!

If you missed out this time, don't worry. The Goosechase Experience will return during next year's County Fair, along with additional opportunities throughout the 4-H year. The next chance to join the fun will be during National 4-H Week this fall. Whether you're participating for the first time or coming back for more, we hope you'll join us for another exciting adventure!

2026 Gallery Award pieces are showcased in the front window of the Gallery & Frame Shop, 94 S. Main St, in historic downtown Fond du Lac. The exhibits will be there until August 30.

Items may be picked up during business hours after August 30 at the Gallery & Frame Shop. We realize this is a busy time with the start of school, and we understand items may need to be picked up earlier. Feel free to reach out with any questions at 920-921-1144 or galleryframe@sbcglobal.net.

CWF is a dedicated track at Ignite-the premier experience for teens to discover their sparks to explore and experience civic engagement, citizenship, and gain leadership skills. This is a week-long experience in the Nation’s Capitol where you can tour National museums, visit the Mall, and experience Federal government in action! Highlights include:

Registration will be open August 1-27, 2026! Explore more at go.wisc.edu/CWF.

A HUGE thank you to all of our exhibitors, parents, buyers, truckers, processors, and sponsors for making the 2026 Fond du Lac County Fair a success! Your hard work, dedication, and support are what make our livestock program so special. We truly appreciate everyone who helped make this year’s fair a memorable one. Although the 2026 Fair has come to an end, we are already planning for 2027! We invite you to join us for our Post-Fair Meeting on Tuesday, August 18, in the Rec Building, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting Schedule
6:30–7:00 p.m. – General positives and concerns
7:00–7:30 p.m. – Goat & Sheep
7:30–8:00 p.m. – Swine
8:00–8:30 p.m. – Beef

Your feedback is important to us as we continue to improve the Market Livestock Program. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please complete the survey below to share your positive experiences, suggestions, and concerns.

2026 Fond du Lac County Market Livestock Project Post – Fair Survey

The Market Livestock Production report must be completed by all exhibitors who sold a market animal at the Fond du Lac County Market Livestock Auction/Meat Animal Sale.

The MLP Report can be found at www.fonddulaccountyfair.com →Exhibitors →Market Livestock Committee and Project → 2026 MLP Form.

The report must be mailed or emailed on or before the Friday following Labor Day (no exceptions). This year’s date is Friday, September 11, 2026.
Fond du Lac Market Livestock Project
P.O. Box 1466
Fond du Lac, WI 54936
Email: fdlmarketlivestock@gmail.com

Failure to complete these pages in an acceptable and complete manner will result in loss of sale privilege for the next year’s market livestock sale. Members of the Fond du Lac County Market Livestock Committee will review forms.

As stated in our mission statement, the Fond du Lac County Market Livestock Committee is dedicated to educating the community about agriculture and promoting quality meat production. We provide a safe environment where youth can engage with the public, develop professional and leadership skills, and gain valuable life experiences. Through these efforts, we strive to strengthen the connection between agriculture and our community.

If you are interested in helping make the Market Livestock Committee stronger, we encourage you to consider applying to serve on the committee. Deadline to apply is September 15, 2026.

www.fonddulaccountyfair.com → Exhibitors → Market Livestock Committee and Project → MLC Application

All clubs and project groups are encouraged to have representation at the Adult Leaders Association Meeting on August 19, 2026. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a discussion on Junior Fair ideas, followed by a fast-paced, interactive meeting focused on updates, feedback, and countywide planning.

New this year: We are asking clubs and project groups to RSVP up to two representatives in advance to help us prepare. Youth may serve as one of the representatives.

Please complete the RSVP by Monday, August 17: https://forms.gle/q4KVmLzPzYUpikgi8

Location: Fond du Lac County Campus, 400 University Dr., Room 205/206

Let’s work together to sell the last raffle tickets before the drawing on August 19 at the Fond du Lac County Campus, Room 205/206! The first name drawn will take home the top prize of $300 with plenty more great prizes to follow, thanks to generous donations from Fond du Lac county businesses.

Every $5 ticket sold supports Fond du Lac County 4-H youth programming, including camps, scholarships, trips, judging events, conferences, and Cloverbud activities.

If your club still has ticket stubs, please return them to the office ASAP so we’re ready for the drawing.

Thank you for your support in helping our youth programs thrive!

Art Day Camp  - August 3-5, 9am-3pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

Junior Master Gardener Club  - August 6 & 20, 1-2:30pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

Wisconsin State Fair - August 6-16

Cloverbud Art Day Camp - August 12, 9am-3pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

Alto Fair - August 12-13

Cardboard City Day Camp - August 17-19, 9am-12pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

LEGO Day Camp - August 17-19, 12:30-4pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

Adult Leaders Assoc. Meeting - August 19, 6:30pm, Fond du Lac County Campus

TLA Meeting - August 24, 6:45 pm, Rolling Meadows

*No LEGO Club meeting in August

  Tracy Keifenheim

4-H Program Educator

tracy.keifenheim@wisc.edu

Sarah Stevenson

4-H Program Assistant

sarah.stevenson@wisc.edu

 Misty Jimenez

4-H Associate Educator

misty.jimenez@wisc.edu

UW Extension Fond du Lac County
160 South Macy St, 2nd floor
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
(920) 906-4623

http://fonddulac.extension.wisc.edu/4h/

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.